In the comedy thriller "The Noisy Mansion," actor Gyeong Su-jin steps into her first-ever solo lead role as Geo-wool. Like all new experiences, the opportunity came with both excitement and pressure. Gyeong admitted to feeling butterflies in her stomach until the film finally premiered in local theaters on Feb. 26.

“I just want to thank the director and the whole crew,” the actor said. “Although there is still pressure for box office success, I’m so happy with the outcome, as I had such a joyful experience."


The comedy thriller follows protagonist Geo-wool, an unemployed busybody who meddles in other people’s business out of a sense of justice, and her journey to uncover the mystery behind strange floor noise that occurs every early morning at 4 a.m.

Directed by Lee Ru-da in her debut, the film stars Gyeong alongside actors Ko Gyu-phil, Lee Ji-hoon, Kim Joo-ryoung and now-disbanded girl group I.O.I member Choi Yoo-jung. The film won an award in the Korean Film Council’s screenplay contest in 2020. Additionally, Don Lee of the "The Roundup" franchise was involved in its production.

Gyeong previously worked with Don Lee in the film “Holy Night: Demon Hunters,” which is slated to be released in April. Their connection led her to participate in the film as Geo-wool.

“Don Lee gave me the script, saying, ‘There’s a character that I think suits you,’” she said. “I read the script in a single breath because of the great ensemble of characters and high immersion.”

In the film, Geo-wool pokes into others' business in the name of justice, but she wasn’t always like that, according to Gyeong. Her character was shaped by her circumstances — she’s burdened by the guilt of losing something precious because of her actions, which drives her to become a busybody, hoping to prevent more misfortune.

Based on this narrative, the actor had to find a balance in expressing her emotions — avoiding being overly expressive — with the director, as her character was dealing with trauma while maintaining a sly and daredevilish personality.

“Geo-wool’s strong determination to go after something, even if she has to do it alone, and her refusal to stand by in the face of injustice reminds me of myself,” she said, sharing that she once camped out in front of the office where she worked as a telemarketer to receive overdue payment.

The film is a comedy thriller with a bright tone. However, it also touches on sensitive social issues, like noise in apartments, construction issues and poor childrearing environments.

“I believe that the lack of communication between neighbors leads to such social problems,” she said.

“Just as characters in films come together to solve the problem, I hope people unite and stand in solidarity to ensure the world doesn’t become even more harsh and unforgiving.”

The actor also appeared in several variety shows, including MBC’s “I Live Alone” (2013-). Gyeong expressed her gratitude for the MBC show, saying it was "a turning point” in her acting career and “a great stroke of luck."

“In the past, I had this strong, pure and innocent 'first love' image, but through variety shows, I was able to show my actual self, being capable of all sorts of things with an easy-going personality,” Gyeong said.

“Since then, I've had the opportunity to expand my acting spectrum, appearing in genre works like Disney+’s thriller series ‘Shadow Detective’ [2022-23] and tvN’s thriller ‘Mouse’ [2021] as well as ‘The Noisy Mansion.’”

It’s been a while since the actor portrayed a role in the romance genre, which she was initially known for. Now, she longs for a romantic comedy, eagerly awaiting a project that will allow her to showcase more of her "inner loveliness."

Since debuting in 2012, Gyeong has been in the acting business for over a decade. Time clearly has not tempered her love for what she does, as she expressed her unwavering passion for the craft.

“As I’ve shown in variety shows, I put my heart into every moment,” she said. “I’ve never once considered quitting acting. I live with the belief that the passion for acting burning inside me will never fade away.”

BY JUNG HYUN-MOK [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]